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Predictions were that Northside High's football team was going to be much improved and that Pulaski County's offense was going to shock long-time followers and throw the ball.

Both forecasts proved correct.

Showing off a new balanced offense for the first time in memory, Pulaski County held off a spirited Vikings rally and won a 21-19 thriller as the season opened for both teams Friday night.

After trailing 21-7 with 5 minutes, 47 seconds left, the Vikings struck back with a pair of quick TDs that nearly sent a full Cougars gallery of supporters into cardiac arrest.

The first of the two late scores was a 29-yard heave from backup quarterback Matt Heron to Isaiah Martin. Jordan Downhour's conversion kick was off, and that left the count at 21-13.

With less than 2 minutes to kill, Pulaski County put away the passing game that had produced 108 yards and kept it conservative. Northside held to force a punt.

Viking Kendal Booker squeaked through a crack in the front wall and got a hand on the punt. Sophomore Dustin Phelps picked the football out of the air and in an instant had covered 38 yards for the TD.

That was Phelps' second score of the night to go with a 38-yard run from scrimmage that tied the score 7-7 late in the third quarter.

Northside's starting quarterback, Brady Craft, shaken up and resting when Heron threw the earlier scoring pass, was back in the game for the two-point conversion after the blocked punt.

Under intense pressure from rusher David Jeter, Craft rolled right but hurried his throw. Tyler Klontz broke the play up.

This time, the Cougars were successful in running out the clock.

"We gave them every opportunity, but what a game Northside played," Pulaski County coach Jack Turner said. "I've said all along that what we needed was a win, so we could just get some confidence going."

Pulaski County is coming off a 2-8 record in 2006.

The Cougars unveiled their version a spread offense and quarterback Shay Dunnigan completed 6 of 9 passes for 104 yards and set up the go-ahead score with a 43-yard completion to running back Nubian Peak.

Peak caught three passes for 87 yards and rushed for 60 more.

He also scored the Cougars' first touchdown on a 13-yard run.

In all, Pulaski County rushed for 108 yards.

"We had to go with the new stuff when we could," Turner said. "We went back to the wing-T late in the game."

Northside coach Burt Torrance talked about the Cougars' new passing sets.

"They spread us out, and got us into some stuff that we didn't well last year," he said. "But that was a great night of Friday night football. It's hard to beat a team that has the kind of tradition they do."

Pulaski County 0 7 0 14--21

Northside 0 0 7 12--19

PC--Peak 13 run (Buckland kick)

N--Phelps 38 run (Downhour kick)

PC--Parris 3 run (Buckland kick)

PC--Dobbins 2 run (Buckland kick)

N--Martin 29 pass from Heron (kick failed)

N--Phelps 38 blocked punt return (pass failed)

PC NO

First downs 11 9

Yards rushing 146 108

Passes C-A-I 6-13-2 6-9-0

Yards passing 67 104

Penalties-yards 4-30 5-42

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1

Punts-average 3-26 5-42

Individual statistics

RUSHING -- Pulaski County, Peak 12-60, Brown 5-10, Dobbins 8-27, Parris 4-13, Dunnigan 3-(minus-2); Northside, Scott 17-81, Phelps 6-58, Fleming 2-10, Craft 3-(minus-3).

PASSING -- Pulaski County, Dunnigan 6-9-0, 108; Northside, Craft 3-10-2, 23, Heron 3-3-0, 44.

RECEIVING -- Pulaski County, Peak 3-87, Calfee 2-15, Parris 1-2; Northside, Martin 4-50, Copper 1-8, Mitchell 1-9.